Described herein is a system for operator control of a combination instrument of a vehicle and of a mobile electronic apparatus that can be detachably retained by a vehicle-based bracket.
With the increasing number of vehicle functions that are made available by modern vehicles, particularly motor vehicles, the demands on the display devices in the vehicle, which can be used to display information about the various vehicle functions and which can be used to make settings for the various vehicle functions and driver assistance systems, are also rising.
For this reason, many modern motor vehicles have not only the “combination instrument”, which is normally arranged behind the steering handle (the steering wheel) as seen from the driver, but also at least one further display device, for example in the form of a display with a high-resolution matrix display, which is often arranged in the region of the central console beside the steering handle.
Since users of vehicles very often also have mobile electronic apparatuses, such as cell phones (smartphones), tablet PCs, mobile navigation devices, etc., solutions have been developed for detachably mounting such mobile electronic apparatuses in a vehicle and coupling them to vehicle-based devices. It is likewise known practice for such mobile electronic apparatuses to be used for displaying vehicle functions in this case, as a result of which the mobile electronic apparatuses may also be suitable for substituting for the aforementioned further display device.
DE 101 20 465 A1 relates to an apparatus for display and/or operator control of vehicle functions in a vehicle, which includes a module having a display and/or operator control unit and having a computer, wherein the computer is designed for communication with other vehicle units. The module forms a standalone unit with a power source that can be operated in an adapter-like bracket provided in the vehicle, and the module can easily be removed from the bracket and, in the removed state, can be operated at least with a prescribed functionality. The module allows substitution for display and/or operator control functions in a vehicle. Furthermore, the module is designed to be able to be operated in parallel beside further modules connected in a vehicle that communicate with one another. The module may also have multimedia capability. A bracket and a bus system are also described.
DE 103 08 897 A1 discloses a motor vehicle having onboard electronics that have an interface for data interchange and also for presentation of information and for control of motor vehicle functions with a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) or a Smartphone. A docking station is arranged between the interface and the PDA or the Smartphone in the interior of the motor vehicle, and the docking station includes an input and/or output unit coupled to the onboard electronics.
EP 2 103 476 A2 describes a head unit for a motor vehicle, having an operator control element, such as pushbutton switches, switches, rocker switches, rotary controls, etc., for example. EP 2 103 476 A2 further describes first functional components, such as a radio, onboard computer, air conditioning system, sound system, etc., for example. EP 2 103 476 A2 further describes a display device, such as a display, for example, and a data and/or power bus with a docking station for mounting and/or communication and/or power supply for mobile electronic devices that can be integrated into the head unit, particularly for consumer electronics such as PDAs, smartphones or MP3 players, for example. The first functional components are able to be controlled by using the operator control elements, and particularly the display device is able to display information that is connected to the first functional components. The mobile electronic device can be controlled using at least some of the operator control elements arranged in the motor vehicle when the mobile electronic device is communicatively connected to the docking station wirelessly or by wire. The first functional components can have their basic functions controlled either using the operator control elements that are present in the motor vehicle or using the mobile electronic device when the mobile electronic device is communicatively connected to the docking station wirelessly or by wire. The mobile electronic device provides second functional components having special functions, such as navigation, telephone, MP3 player, etc., for example, in the motor vehicle when the mobile electronic device is communicatively connected to the docking station wirelessly or by wire.
DE 10 2011 101 808 A1 describes a method and a system for providing a user interface in a vehicle, in which a wireless data link is set up between the vehicle and a mobile playback device that is detachably connected in the vehicle or that is held freely by a user in the vehicle. The method involves operating parameters that are relevant to the operation of the vehicle being captured in the vehicle, and a display and operator control device that is permanently arranged in the vehicle and can be read from the seat position of the driver being used to display information about captured operating parameters. A wireless data link is set up between the vehicle and a mobile playback device that is detachably connected in the vehicle or that is held freely by a user in the vehicle, the data for producing a display content are transmitted from the vehicle to the playback device via the wireless data link, and the transmitted data are taken as a basis for producing a display content on the playback device that includes information about captured operating parameters that is displayed on the display and operator control device.
Furthermore, DE 10 2011 112 383 A1 discloses a combination instrument for a vehicle, wherein the combination instrument includes a display apparatus for presenting a first piece of information from the vehicle for a user of the vehicle. The combination instrument additionally includes a bracket for holding a mobile apparatus having a display unit, an interface for transmitting a second piece of information that is to be presented from the vehicle to the mobile apparatus and a processing unit. The processing unit is coupled to the interface and designed to capture the second piece of information and to transmit it to the mobile apparatus via the interface.